Pseudophoenix sargentii-

[Tim McKernan]

How can dryer conditions actually make a palm FATTER? Or any plant for that matter?

Check out this Bucaneer palm growing in sandy, dry conditions in the full blaring sun on the ocean side in Islamorado-

and here is one grown in more fertile soil with regular irrigation-

These palms both came from the same batch of seed. It's hard to drastically reduce the amount of water to one of your prized possesions but in this case it may be better.

 

[Toko]

I hope you keep your eyes on the psuedos. FTG is reporting a disease thats starting to kill them. It's very new and dangerous.

 

[Jose Maria]

Tim,

Water is not the only difference to take into account between the beach location and your garden.
Beaches are mostly basic soils, lots of broken shells, thats Calcium...high pH.... There are many more details to take into consideration; drainage , soil compaction, sunlight, other minerals present, chemicals , ....?
It can be so many things, I would not cut the water ( how is this water.. rainwater or city supply with chlorine ?)before investigating.

By the way... great pictures!And even the smaller palm looks good!

Saludos

 

[Dypsisdean]

Those are some good points Jose Maria.

Plus the fact that you can put three palms in an identical environment, and even then, one will grow much better than another. That is why I always try to buy in threes.

I planted 3 Hedyscepes in almost identical situations. One is now 15 feet tall with 5-6 ft of trunk, one hasn't even started trunking yet, and the other is dead.

 

[Barry J White]

We have some seeds from our two plants if anyone wants some.
305-251-1960

 

[Mandrew968]

Pseudophoenix Sargentii is a variable palm as well--one looks different from the other. But of course a palm will look better in it's environment, compared to some person's yard, usually...
I have also heard something about Pseudophoenix decline--Very scary since I have all but Vinifera... has anyone heard that salt could be the antidote??? Most things can't like in a briny environment--including microbes!

 

[Dypsisdean]

Mandrew,

It seems as if the SFPS has lost interest in their forum, so I was going to move this topic to the main palm forum. However, that would give this forum even less of a chance to come back to life. So I would suggest starting another Psuedophoenix topic in "General Palm Discussions."

My input to you about the salt factor would be that there are plenty of microbes in salt water, so I don't know if your theory holds any water, so to speak. However, maybe a saline environment could dissuade those microbes that are deleterious to land plants, I don't know.

 

[Moose]

Actually - with Pseudophoenix sargentii the reverse is true about the palms thriving in their native habitat. Pseudophoenix sargentii actually grows faster and is more robust in cultivation. They are typically found in nature growing under harsh conditions with horrible soil. They are survivors and very tough. There are reportedly four variants, Pseudophoenix sargentii var. Navasana having the largest trunk and fastest variant. From the island of Navasa Island off the coast of Haiti.

Pseudophoenix vinifera is found in the Dominican Republic growing on excellent soils derived from volcanic material.

Pseudophoenix Sargentii is a variable palm as well--one looks different from the other. But of course a palm will look better in it's environment, compared to some person's yard, usually...
I have also heard something about Pseudophoenix decline--Very scary since I have all but Vinifera... has anyone heard that salt could be the antidote??? Most things can't like in a briny environment--including microbes!

 

[Unregistered]

I think drier conditions produce a slower growing plant with a swollen trunk to store moisture as drought insurance. Does this make sense? Buccaneer palms grown in irrigated resort gardens have bamboo-like trunks, uniformly narrow with widely spaced rings.